Roy Hodgson was persuaded to admit that England's superb comeback to beat world champions Germany in Berlin was his finest moment as manager - but has this landmark result also claimed a high-profile victim?
England captain Wayne Rooney, out with a knee injury, swiftly tweeted his congratulations after Hodgson's side came from two goals down to win 3-2 in a friendly that will also act as a marker for their Euro 2016 aspirations this summer.
And make no mistake, the 30-year-old is a consummate team player. England's all-time record goalscorer will have been totally sincere in his message to the heroes of Berlin.
Could the win, however, have less appetising consequences for the man who has been the centrepiece of England's plans since he thrilled the world as an 18-year-old at Euro 2004 in Portugal?
Is this the beginning of the end for Rooney?
Dele Alli is the precocious 19-year-old from Tottenham who claimed the pre-match headlines by drawing comparisons with the great former England captain Bryan Robson.
And yet, as he wore Rooney's familiar number 10 shirt, it was the current England captain whose future came into sharp focus as the teenager, winning only his fifth cap, delivered a man-of-the-match performance.
Rooney has been a mainstay of England's plans for 13 years with 51 goals and 109 caps - but as Hodgson's squad flew out of Germany there was a sense he was under greater threat for his place than ever before.
No-one should write Rooney off and it has yet to be proved in the heat of competitive battle that England are better off without him, but Hodgson now has an array of options that would not automatically include their one-time talisman.
Harry Kane is a mobile leader of the attack who can play on his own, working in a partnership as well as in the channels while looking as at home for England as he does when leading the Premier League scoring charts with 21 this season for Spurs.
He showed skill on the turn and a clinical finish for his fourth goal in nine games for England to put them back in contention in Berlin - and in Alli he has found a partner and a creator in a link-up that will serve club and country for years to come.
Alli and Kane, just 22, seem to spend time naturally on the same wavelength. Alli, as Hodgson pointed out on Friday, can fill all roles required of the modern midfield player.
He looked at his best in that number 10 role working close to Kane. He is not afraid to do the dirty business but he is a genuine goal threat as he forced Germany keeper Manuel Neuer into two fine saves.
If he was overawed by facing the world champions and luminaries such as Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller, Marco Reus, Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil, he had a funny way of showing it.
Wayne Rooney
The emergence of England's youth puts captain Wayne Rooney's place under threat
It is an enticing prospect for Hodgson and would leave no room for Rooney. With Kane as the nominal spearhead and Alli as the number 10, three would be a crowd.
If Hodgson did use Kane centrally and Alli riding shotgun behind, Rooney would be left occupying a wider attacking position. Does this suit him any more? Has it ever suited him?
And what about Leicester's Jamie Vardy? Would that wide role not be perfect for him with England?
He offers the greatest pace of all England's attacking options - the quality defenders fear most. Any thoughts his confidence in front of goal has waned slightly can be dismissed by the brilliance of his instinctive 74th-minute equaliser, flicked audaciously beyond Neuer at the near post from Nathaniel Clyne's cross.
Vardy offers speed, width and goals. And even if he does not start when Euro 2016 gets under way, he is a potent threat off the bench.
Hodgson will no doubt use Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge against the Netherlands at Wembley on Tuesday. He is arguably the most talented but by equal measure physically fragile England striker.
